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VIDEO: Why Saudi Arabia is Building a $1 Trillion City in the Desert

🕑 Added 2024-12-18 13:01:02 +0000 UTC

Comments

Lynne Bennett

Mind-blowing! I could be happy in their desert by the Red Sea. They take great care of the sea, as if it was a living being in need of protection. I've lived in the Great Sonoran Desert in Arizona and in Mexico by the Sea of Cortez for 67 of my 75 years. I was unaware of the city being built but am familiar with what they're doing in parts of the US. In CA and AZ they purchased the irrigatable farm land on both sides of the Colorado River where they grow alfalfa, getting 6-8 cuttings year round. They've openly reported that it is cheaper to buy land, irrigate it for hay, and ship it to Saudi than it is to grow it there. Also, they've bought property, including resorts, on every coastline in the country. In addition, in just the last 3 yrs they've bought hundreds of mobile home & RV parks in CA and AZ, paying many times the value for places that aren't for sale. I lived in one being offered for sale at 300,000 but they paid 2.9M. It's weird.

Maya Fawaz

Johnny!! Holy shit. This video is incredible. Obsessed with all the perspectives you presented and all the stunning visuals. Also, the sound design was insane, huge fan over here. Loved seeing you back in the field :')

Anton Stupnev

So you decided not to be a journalist anymore. I'd appreciate a heads-up, but that's fine too.

Dan Scholze

Buddy either I’m stupid like really stupid or I just can’t figure out how to give you some money for what you’re doing. I love your shows. I watch them all the time and I will figure out how to send you some money. Just give me a couple days Dan scholze@gmail.com

Yash vardhan Choudhary

I just watched it in the middle of my MBA prep. I have been waiting for your video on this topic for a long time. This has to be by far one of the best videos of yours, you really gave a glimpse of “DUNE” at the start of the video. Thanks for providing a new perspective on this issue, by going up there and finding out the story from both sides which has been lacking in several videos on this topic. These types of on-ground coverage videos take back to border days.

Mariah Tennant

beautiful. the moment when you discussed “not pressing any further” for answers from the bedouin. There are different ways of knowing and sometimes we just know. Very respectful and the right choice imo. What a beautiful video and culture.

AquarianQuirks

The quality of this video is sublime! So well done!!

Jordan Taylor

This video was done so well! Took some notes down for my own filmmaking.

Patrick Murray

John, you knocked this one out of the park!!! Very interesting and just beyond well done. Thanxz🤩

Keiston Herchel

Halfway done the video now, really amazing work and I especially enjoyed the trippy editing! I'm currently doing humanitarian aid work in Bhutan. Although very different, Neom reminds me of the Gelephu Mindfulness City project that the Kingdom is putting into motion these days. Is there any interest from your side in doing a Bhutan futuristic-city deep dive similar to what you've just released? A few possible angles to look into: the recent mass exodus of young people from Bhutan to places like Australia and Canada to work minimum wage jobs and study; the government of Bhutan's obsession with cryptocurrency; the citizens (at least those I met in the countryside) don't like the fairly-recently introduced democratisation of the kingdom. Happy holidays to you, Iz and your team! Keep up the great journalism! :)